| Â | | | | contributed to its reconstruction. Exhibition |
| | | | halls were constructed and the Navy Pier |
| Built in 1916 as part of the city development | | | | became a lively public gathering place once |
| plan, the Navy Pier is a mixed-purpose public | | | | again. The Navy Pier was renovated in the |
| infrastructure. Primarily used for cargo | | | | early 1990s and now houses fast food kiosks, |
| facilities, the pier also provided docking | | | | a ballroom, concert stage, convention center |
| space for steamers used for passenger | | | | and shops. The central attraction is the |
| excursions. The outermost tip of the pier was | | | | 150-foot ferris wheel, complemented by an |
| used as a cool spot for public gatherings and | | | | IMAX theater, the Chicago Shakespeare |
| entertainment in the pre-air conditioning | | | | Theater, the Smith Museum of Stained Glass |
| days. Sometime ago, the Navy Pier even had a | | | | Windows and the Chicago Children's Museum. |
| streetcar and was known to be a little | | | | |
| lovers' getaway in the city. The Navy Pier is | | | | Â |
| 3300 feet in length and spreads alongside the | | | | |
| Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan. | | | | Public art sculptures, a large animated and |
| | | | interactive fountain, parks, gardens, |
| Â | | | | restaurants, shops and various passing |
| | | | entertainment events lighten up the modern |
| What is commonly refereed to as the pier's | | | | day Navy Pier. The most popular annual |
| "Golden Age", the 1950s saw the residents of | | | | attraction at the pier is the Venetian Night |
| Chicago gathering at the pier for a variety | | | | festival. The Navy Pier is set to undergo |
| of events. The Navy Pier became more popular | | | | more renovations soon, adding a monorail, |
| as a public meeting place than as a dockyard | | | | spoke-less ferris wheel, roller coaster, |
| or cargo facility. The pier's true use was | | | | floating hotel and water park. |
| unveiled during World War II, when it was | | | | |
| used by the US Navy. This is why the pier, | | | | Â |
| originally named as the Chicago Municipal | | | | |
| Pier, is now known as the Navy Pier. | | | | Don't forget to visit the Navy Pier when you |
| | | | are in Chicago and if you stay at a nearby |
| Â | | | | Chicago Hotel, you just might be able to |
| | | | catch a few one-time only events there. |
| It was mostly used by the University of | | | | Whether you stay at a |
| Illinois after the war, but once the | | | | target="_blank">Downtown Chicago hotel or |
| university was moved to a different location, | | | | somewhere close by, you'll certainly enjoy |
| the pier was not used for a long time. From | | | | your overall experience. Try a delightful |
| 1965 to 1989, the pier was a desolate place | | | | stay at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel |
| and the city was looking to bring it down | | | | Chicago , and enjoy modern conveniences while |
| when several authoritative figures | | | | you bask in luxury. |